SwCA Episode 130: MYTH... - “Trying to lean on someone who bends is futile.”

SITE: http://www.courtneyanderson.com/swca-episode-130-myth-warriors-series-trying-to-lean-on-someone-who-bends-is-futile.html

SHOW NOTES: In the MYTH WARRIORS™ series we are targeting ideas to begin to assess whether they are credible or not. The topic for this episode is, “Trying to lean on someone who bends is futile.”

In many shows we share quotes from famous (or infamous) or notable individuals. Yet, information comes from all types of sources. I found the quote that is the show topic at http://forums.narcolepsynetwork.org/index.php?/topic/6237-breaking-up-cuz-he-just-doesnt-care/.

We are not evaluating the credibility of this public internet discussion forum, but instead are assessing the content of the assertion. Is it a myth that when we try to lean on (emotionally or physically) someone who bends that it will be pointless (or futile)?

If our goal is to lean on someone and remain standing (literally or figuratively), it is logical that if I lean on someone for support (to remain standing) and they bend that I will fall. Thus, it is futile to lean on something that is not stable enough to support (or hold) me. But, how do we know who will bend and who will hold us? The most helpful answer is to remember what the person did the last time you tried to lean on them.

"Definition of FUTILE 1:  serving no useful purpose :  completely ineffective <efforts to convince him were futile> […]” Futile. (n.d.). Retrieved June 5, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/futile 

The alternative scenario is in, “He ain’t heavy, mister… he’s my brother.” This idea has been in popular culture and you can read about it at http://www.boystown.org/blog/the-story-behind-he-aint-heavy.

So, who are you going to lean on?